The present invention relates to a video searching method, and apparatus, capable of representing contents of a video file stored in a storage device as a group of images so as to make the contents of the video file definitely recognizable without reproducing the video file.
As the speed of computers becomes higher and the capacity of storage devices such as hard disks becomes larger in recent years, it has become possible to handle moving images and voices by digitizing them. There have come to be staged various multimedia systems such as a VDR (video disk recorder) capable of compressing moving images and voices, and storing and reproducing the compressed moving images and voices, and a nonlinear editing machine capable of editing moving images and voices taken into a storage device such as a hard disk in program production of television broadcast and video production. In these multimedia systems, various kinds of attribute information such as file format, file name, production date and hour, reproduction time, the total number of frames, data rate, compression factor, keyword, and a still image of a top scene, i.e., top picture frame of a video file are used in order to search a large number of video files stored in a storage device such as a hard disk. Especially as examples of a video searching technique for facilitating the confirmation of contents of video material of an enormous amount stored in a storage device, techniques disclosed in JP-A-5-81348 (applied for a patent by Dainihon Printing) and JP-A-8-227462, for example, can be mentioned. In the former-cited publication, a frame extracting and searching apparatus for arranging time-axis images obtained from moving images recorded on a tape medium, on a time axis and displaying them as still images extracted at fixed intervals is disclosed. However, there is no concept of image extraction from a video file. According to the latter-cited technique, it is possible to divide moving images into scenes on the basis of the characteristic values of images and voices, and produce a list of top picture frames of respective scenes. By referring to the display of this list, the user can definitely recognize contents of respective video files, know what material exists, and select a desired scene easily. Here, a scene means a moving image section having no intermission taken by one camera. In the case where moving images are stored in a storage device as video files respectively corresponding to scenes, an abrupt change does not occur between frames, each of which is a still image forming moving images, in a scene. By referring to a still image information of a top scene of that video file, therefore, its contents can be sufficiently grasped. The still image information of the top scene of the video file becomes a very important visual information in searching for a video file.
Such a conventional apparatus has the following problem.
In the case where each scene is stored in a storage device as a video file, its contents can be judged on the basis of only the still image information of the top scene of that video file. In general, however, moving images or video images are not necessarily stored in a storage device as video files by taking a scene as the unit. In such a case, each video file is formed of a plurality of scenes. In selecting a desired video file out of a large number of video files stored in a storage device, it is very difficult to judge the content of a video file by referring to only the still image information of the top scene of the video file. For certainly searching for and selecting a desired video file, it becomes necessary to advance the search work while reproducing that video file thoroughly and confirming it. Therefore, it takes much time to search enormous video files stored in a storage device such as a hard disk.
Furthermore, in general, video images in use are produced by editing enormous video materials. If at the time of video editing work it is possible to search for video materials without going away from the video editing work, editing the video materials searched for, and storing the result of the editing into a storage device, then it is natural that the video editing work can be advanced more efficiently.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a video searching method, and apparatus, having a function necessary for and useful for a work for searching for a video file, and a function of displaying a group of images, whereby the user can rapidly recognize the content of a video file such as a general view, for each of video files stored in a storage device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a video searching method, and apparatus, having a function of storing moving images or video images in a storage device, and conducting a display so as to make the user capable of recognizing the content of a stored video file rapidly and definitely, i.e., judging the general view rapidly under control from a video editing system.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a video searching method for searching and displaying moving images or video images desired by the user comprises the steps of extracting as many images as specified beforehand by the user from each of video files already stored, arranging the images in an arrangement specified beforehand by the user to form a group image, displaying the group image in a predetermined position, and displaying the moving images or video images corresponding to the displayed group image selected by the user. As a result, the contents of that video file can be recognized rapidly and definitely. Therefore, the efficiency of the work of searching enormous video files is increased.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a video searching method, and apparatus, having the above described search and display function has means for managing the moving images or video images and is provided with a function of controlling a storage device which stores the moving images or video images. Furthermore, the video searching method, and apparatus, is provided with a function of editing the stored moving images or video images. As a result, the contents of the stored moving images or video images can be recognized definitely. At the time of video editing work, therefore, desired moving images or video images can be searched for certainly. In addition, the moving images or video images thus searched for can be edited efficiently, and a result of the editing can be stored in the storage device efficiently.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the detailed description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.